


Rejection of the Heart

by NeoCortex



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Schmoop, sick!Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 06:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeoCortex/pseuds/NeoCortex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles rejects his mate unknowing of the consequences of his actions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sickness Sets In

                Scott found himself utterly confused at what he was reading.

The journal- for it was clearly that as it was all hand written and bound in old worn leather- spoke of wolves being mated young. Like a betrothal only there was a binding. This binding linked the wolf to his or her mate in some sort of spiritual or magical way.

Basically if the mate was missing or in trouble, the wolf would know and be able to find them instantly.

The bonding happened when they were little- so in this case when the wolf’s mate was born- and it involved a prick of the skin and a little sharing of blood. Combine that with a few words in a ritual and they were bonded. For life.

But none of what Scott was reading would prepare him for the knowledge that seemed to whack him on the head as soon as he read the end.

_‘Should the intended mate reject his betrothed the wolf will sense the rejection, become depressed, and ultimately give up._

_Should the mate reject the wolf and the resulting depression ensue then the wolf will cease to be.’_

“Cease to be?” Scott felt like something in his stomach had curdled. Like he’d had spoiled milk to drink and now he was going to be sick.

“That means he could die…” In a flash the journal was closed and gone as Scott dashed from the Hale house library and up the stairs to the Alpha’s room.

                “Yes, I knew.” Derek refused to look at them. To let them see the pain in his eyes as generations of knowledge hit him like a brick wall.

“If you knew then why haven’t you tried to do something about it?” Isaac’s voice sounded panicked and Derek’s heart ached to fix that fear. But if his mate didn’t want him then there wasn’t much Derek could do.

“Because, if he doesn’t want me, if he doesn’t accept me as his mate- bound or not- then there isn’t anything I can do.”

“Does he know he’s your mate?” This from Erica- the whole pack was crowded into his room.

“He does yes. And he made it perfectly clear how he felt about that.” There was panicked yelling as a matter of fact.

Derek heard a light gasp- Lydia- from the other side of the room, “He doesn’t know what the consequences of his rejection are, does he?”

Derek shakes his head, “No. He doesn’t even know that we’re bonded.” He affirmed the question as Isaac crawled up the bed to lay his head in Derek’s lap with a whimper. Derek closed his eyes in shame and placed a gentle hand on the beta’s head in comfort.

“How…” Scott seemed hesitant and Derek glanced over at him to see the first member of his pack clutching tightly to his family journal.

“How, what Scott?” He looked away again. He really didn’t want them all to see his pain. It was bad enough they could smell it and feel it.

“How long do you have?” Scott sounded like he hated asking that. And the knowledge that Scott was finally accepting of himself as part of the pack and in turn Derek as his Alpha gripped Derek’s heart tighter and twisted his gut in knots.

His shoulders slumped and tears filled his eyes but didn’t fall. Someone sniffed to his left and Isaac stiffened against his knee.

“You’re sick.” Jackson and Isaac say simultaneously. Isaac is sitting up again and Jackson has moved to stand at the foot of the bed.

“You’re already-“

Derek cuts Jackson off there, “My wolf senses the rejection. Yes. I’m sick. Maybe a week at best.” He doesn’t look up at any of them as he moves to lay down now. “I’m sorry guys. I wish there was some alternative, but there isn’t.” He’s curled up on his side now and closing his eyes. “He won’t accept me as his mate. He’s made that perfectly clear.”

“Did you try telling him that you, I don’t know, loved him?” Allison snapped incredulously.

“It won’t matter if he doesn’t return the feelings, Allison.” His voice was starting to sound almost as broken as he felt.

“So you do love him?” Scott sounded surprised.

“Of course he does, you idiot!” Jackson sounded angry. “Would he be this broken up over it otherwise?” Derek was sure that if Jackson had been by the door with Scott then there would be a head smack accompanied by that.

“You do, right?” Isaac whimpered from where he was sitting.

“Yes, Isaac. I love him very much.”


	2. G.C. Stilinski

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia is not a happy bunny.  
> And knows Stiles full name...

                It wasn’t like he was doing anything incriminating or private when it happened but to say he was startled out of his wits when his door crashed open was an understatement.

“GEMIN CHRISTIAN STILINSKI!”

How in _the hell_ did Lydia know is full name?

“How could you be so damned heartless?” What was she talking about? “He actually has the guts to finally tell you the truth about something concerning the pack and you reject him!” Oh. She was talking about Derek.

“How was that concerning the pack? All he did was tell me I was his mate.”

“And you _rejected_ him!” She seemed keen on that point.

“Well yeah! He doesn’t even like me! How am I supposed to be his mate when he doesn’t like me at all? Not to mention you don’t just spring that on someone!” Stiles was flailing in agitation now as he stood in the middle of his bedroom. “You don’t just go ‘Oh by the way you’re my mate’ and not expect some sort of repercussions such as an argument!” Okay, so maybe that hadn’t been _exactly_ what Derek had said, but the intent was the same.

“You argued with him about it?” She seemed a tad confused now. Or was that concern? One couldn’t always be sure with Lydia Martin.

“Of course we argued!” Or at least he had argued.

Lydia frowned but shook her head, “Whatever. You may _think_ he doesn’t like you, but right now he’s at home…” She paused here and it seemed as if she was choosing her words just then, “He’s at home being a sulking-wolf instead of the sourwolf we all know and love.”

“Why the hell would he be sulking?” Shouldn’t Stiles be doing that? He was the one that just found out he was the mate to someone that didn’t like him.

“Because he loves you and doesn’t know how to tell you, ya idiot!” Stiles got the distinct impression she wanted to smack him up side the back of the head if she was within reach.

“Yeah, right.” Stiles snorts as he now turns to flop down into his computer chair and log into World of Warcraft.

Lydia scoffs, throws her arms up in the air and storms from the house muttering darkly about the things she’d like to do to Stiles and his entrails.


	3. Outranked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scott gracefully paces aggressively and pulls rank.  
> Peter is unhappy.

             Scott was pacing back and forth and muttering to himself in the front yard with Jackson, Erica, Boyd, and Isaac watching him.

“He’s rather graceful when he paces.” Boyd remarked under his breath to the other three.

“It’s kind of hot.” Was Isaac’s answering remark.

“You should see when we go running.” Erica told them both.

“It’s like he’s a part of the forest. He’s amazing to see.” Jackson seems to admit almost begrudgingly.

“But how is he such a klutz at school?” Boyd asked almost confused.

“Because he’s not running.” They all look up to see Danny drop to the steps between Jackson’s legs. “Running is what he was made for.” He greets them all with a smile before asking, “So what’s got Scott gracefully pacing so aggressively?”

“Derek’s dying.” Isaac says mournfully. “His mate rejected him.”

“Stiles did what?” It came as little surprise that Danny actually caught on quickly.

“Yeah. And now Derek is sick.”

“Has anyone tried telling Stiles that Derek’s in love with him?”

“Yes. And fat load of good that did!” Lydia stalked up to them from her car and it was clear she was not a happy bunny. “Gemin is such a stubborn ass!” Even though she doesn’t actually do it they can all see the invisible foot stomp.

“We have one week.” Scott grumbles as he comes to a halt in his pacing and stands beside Lydia.

Danny’s eyes widen and he looks almost as miserable as Isaac sounded earlier, “Has anyone tried telling Stiles the truth?”

Lydia scoffs and looks like she wants to throw a temper tantrum, “YES! I was just there. I told him that-“

Scott cuts her off, “That’s it! We tell him the truth.”

“Weren’t you listening? I tried that! He just started playing WoW!”

“No, we tell him the truth.”

Scott growls out the last word and Erica shivers with a grin, “Sir~”

Boyd rolls his eyes and then, “We give him the journal to read?” To this Scott nods and leans over to pick it up from beside Boyd, “We make him read and what then? We can’t make him fall in love with Derek in a week.”

“He’s already in love with Derek.” Scott states matter-of- factly. “It’s just a matter of making him see and understand that Derek does actually return those feelings.”

“The Sherriff!” Everyone looks at Allison who just stepped out onto the porch.

“What about him?” Lydia finds herself confused now.

“Stiles and Derek are bonded.” She gets a nod of confirmation from Scott at this so continues on, “Stiles’ dad would know about that. He can make Stiles see reason.”

“But just one problem with that. Sherriff Stilinski hates Derek.” Jackson helpfully reminds them all.

“John can’t keep Stiles from Derek if there is a way to make the boy see reason.” They all look up sharply to see Peter Hale walking over from where he’d apparently been lurking in the forest. “It was Stiles’ mother that made the decision.” It was clear Peter was going to go into some explanation here, “My brother and sister-in-law chose several families and went to each of them with the offer for their son or daughter to be bound with Derek. Only two families considered it seriously and only one- in the end- actually agreed to it. After his mother gave birth, Stiles was brought before the shaman and the ceremony was conducted.”

Once Peter finished and everyone let the information sink in Lydia piped up, “Who were the other families?”

He turned his eyes on her and spoke in a monotone voice, “The Whitmore’s, the McCall’s, and the Martin’s.”

Jackson, Scott, and Lydia all looked at him in shock now. To know that they had been so close to having this chance before they even knew what it meant was a bit flooring. “Jackson’s parents wouldn’t hear of it, Scott’s father flat out refused, and Lydia, your mother- after long deliberation- didn’t think it was right for her daughter at the time. Sierra was the only person that thought it would benefit her family in the long run.”

Scott stepped in and slapped the journal against Peter’s chest with a growl low in his throat and a gold spark in his eyes, “You’ll tell him.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ll tell Stiles the truth. You’ll make him pull his head out of his ass and you’ll tell him.”

“And what makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

“You’re his family.”

“Only on a technicality,” He said tightly.

Scott’s eyes are full on gold now with a tinge of something else there, “A binding requires blood. Hale blood is in his veins. He’s your nephew. You. Will. Tell him. The truth.”

“And what makes you think I’ll do it.”

“I out rank you.” Several gasps go through the assembled group now. “I’m higher in the pyramid than you are. You have to listen to me now. Derek’s uncle or not. And you will do it.” There is a deeper growl undercurrent there now and Peter is taking a half step back before he realizes it.

Taking the journal in hand he clears his throat, “I’ll go to John. I’ll talk to him. He’s the only one Stiles will listen to on this.” He seems a bit put out that he’s taking orders from a teenager. “But I’ll give Stiles the journal none the less.” He agrees with a sniff as he turns to leave now.

They all watch Peter disappear before there is an explosion of excited chattering.

“WOW! When are you Mister Aggressive?” Erica.

“Holy shit that was awesome!” Jackson.

“Damn, Scott. Ditch Allison and I’ll let you fuck me here and now.” Danny.

“If this fails, I’ll follow you anywhere.” Isaac.

“Bet he regrets biting you now.” Lydia.

“And that’s why Derek picked you as second.” Boyd.

“Well now that we’ve established pack hierarchy, I’m pretty hot right now, Scott.” Allison.

Scott is crashing from the adrenal rush and a light blush crosses his cheeks at all the praise. He sinks down to the steps between Jackson and Erica now and buries his face in trembling hands. “I don’t want this to fail.” He mumbles knowing they’ll all hear him anyway.

“Just have a bit of faith Scott.”Allison settles between his legs in a mirror to Danny. “We’ll figure this all out.”

“We have to.” Lydia demands as she sits between Danny and Allison, resting her head on Jackson’s thigh where Danny runs his fingers through her strawberry blonde curls.

                Up in his room Derek can hear everything that is going on. He hears the momentary praises of Scott’s grace. The decision to tell Stiles the truth. Even Peter’s tale of how it was Stiles that came to be his bonded. He even hears Scott’s pulling of rank and the way the pack responds to him after has Derek’s heart swelling in pride while his stomach simultaneously tangles in knots again.

He and Scott both know that Scott isn’t ready for the sort of responsibility being Alpha entails. Hell Derek wasn’t ready when he ripped it from his uncle. And as much as he wants to tell them to leave it alone and let things lie, he doesn’t want to burden Scott with the Alpha mantle. So he prays to whatever deity is listening that whatever they’ve got planned actually works.


	4. An old friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter talks to the Sheriff.
> 
> And if you narrow your eyes, squit really hard, and cock your head to the left about twenty degrees, you can JUST see a hint of Peter/John...(I might expand on that later... we'll see.)

             “Peter? What’re you doing here?” John Stilinski had opened the door to find a man he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“I came to see an old friend?” Peter smirked a bit. He let his eyes roam over the Sherriff before him. The man- normally seen in his uniform-  was wearing a pair of light blue faded denim jeans and a UCLA T-shirt. His feet were bare and he looked as if he’d been asleep on the couch only moments ago.

“Right. Old friend. An old friend that you haven’t spoken to in 16 years.”

“Not true. I spoke to you again. I even kept a watch over you and your family. But the day she died you yelled at me, told me never to come near you and your family again.” Peter countered calmly as he continued to stand in the door way of the Stilinski home. “I stayed away, but I was ever watchful over my nephew’s mate.” The elder werewolf managed to look a bit ashamed, “Even when I was a bit…Incapacitated and slightly psychotic.”

Peter watched as one of John’s eyebrow arched almost perfectly. Clearly someone had tried to forget about that part. “Right.” With a sigh the Sherriff stepped back and motioned for Peter to enter the house. “Come on in. Since it’s clear you’re not leaving.”

Peter stepped inside the house and followed John into the kitchen where a pot of coffee was put on while the werewolf took a seat at the table. “I’m actually here to talk to you. About Derek.”

“What about him.” John’s voice is tight.

Peter hears Stiles hit the bottom of the stairs so he clears his throat and pretends he wasn’t listening for the younger male, “He’s sick. And I fear he isn’t getting better.”

“Sick?” Now the Sherriff sounded concerned. “But he’s the Alpha. Why isn’t he healing?”

“His wolf is giving up.” Peter says quietly now as Stiles has run back upstairs and sounds to be making some sort of phone call.

“But the only reason for the wolf to give up is if his mate-“ John stops here as apparently some sort of realization was dawning on him. “Stiles rejected him?”

Peter nodded and sighed, “Yes. Derek tried to explain everything but our dear Gemin apparently got hysterical and rejected Derek as his mate because he thinks that Derek doesn’t like him.”

“But that’s not true.”

“You and I know this, John, but after all that Derek has gone through it is a little harder for him to open up properly at the moment.”

“Stiles doesn’t know then that his rejection is killing Derek?” Peter shakes his head and frowns. “What else?”

“Scott wants me to give this to Stiles. For him to read. I agree he should read it, but there is something else that Scott didn’t even get to. If one of the bonded pair dies…” Peter stopped here and frowned more. It clearly wasn’t lost on John the implications of what Peter wasn’t saying.

“If Derek dies, so too does Stiles.” There was clear pain in the elder Stilinski’s voice and this caused Peter to do something he’d never have done. He rose from his chair and walked around to John’s side of the table to wrap his arms around the man’s shoulders, holding him close.

“We won’t let that happen, John. The pack is working on this. That’s why Scott sent me to you. They all think that you can help us with Stiles. We don’t want to lose our Alpha. We can’t. And we certainly can’t lose Stiles either.”

“Maybe I can talk to him?” Peter nods and still is hugging John while the Sherriff has his arms wrapped around Peter’s waist and his face half buried in the werewolf’s stomach. John hadn’t sought such comfort from another in a long time and right now, to be consoled by someone that wasn’t his son was a great comfort.

“Please John, will you help us?” Peter is almost begging now and he can hear Stiles upstairs arguing on the phone with someone; and from the sounds of it, that might be Jackson.

A sniffle around his navel and a nod are what Peter gets before John answers, “Yeah. I’ll help. I don’t want to lose them wither.”

Peter then did another thing he’d never done before, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of John’s head the way he remembered Sierra doing. “Thank you, John.” He stepped back now just as he heard a grumbling Stiles stomping down the stairs going on about something concerning stubborn wolves and idiotic women.

“I’ll leave that with you, John. I hope it helps.” He pointed to the journal as he made for the front door. “I’ll see you soon.” He promised and John nodded as he waved the werewolf off.


	5. Dad knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John confronts Stiles about Derek.

                It had taken John the rest of the night and most of the next day while he was at work to figure out what he was going to say to Stiles. After Peter left Stiles had asked what the book was and John told him it was something for John to read to help answer some questions for work.

He’d hated lying like that but at that moment he had no idea where to start with Stiles. But he knew the truth was needed. And bad. He couldn’t lose his son. And he knew that Stiles really didn’t want to lose Derek either.

John knew a person in love when he saw one. And man was Stiles ever in love. The look on his face whenever Derek was around or just mentioned was one of a drowning man. And John knew the look well. It had been the same look he wore whenever he’d looked, seen, or thought about Sierra.

But now as John Stilinski sat at his kitchen table he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he’d wanted to say to his son at all. It was like fear of losing everything had completely drained his brain of all thought and reason.

The front door opening and slamming closed snapped John’s head up and he watched as his son tossed his backpack by the kitchen door and make his way to the fridge for something to drink.

“Hey Dad. Thought you’d still be at work.” He said before chugging what sounded like half the carton of milk.

“I don’t have to work again until later. Stiles, sit down. I want to talk to you.” It was like seeing Stiles in front of him now opened up a damn in his head, letting all things he needed to say flow like a rapid.

“Sure thing, Dad, what’s up?” He’d put the milk away and settled into the chair across from John at the table.

“Stiles, how much do you know about Derek’s being sick?” He knew his son had heard Peter yesterday- hell he was pretty sure Peter wanted him to hear- but he didn’t know how much Stiles knew.

“Not a lot really. Lydia nor Scott will tell me anything and the rest of the group was avoiding me- I think Lydia threatened them with pain of death.” The last part was muttered in thought but then Stiles never did have a filter really.

“Stiles, you know what Derek is.”

Hazel eyes snap up to John in a wild wide eyed stare, “What?”

“Stop Stiles. You know what he is. What Scott is, Jackson. The whole pack. And clearly so do I.”

Stiles’ eyes went- if possible- wider than they already were and his jaw was working as if trying to function to form words. “I’ve known what Derek was since before you were born, Son.”

“Dad… I… Ha-“ Stile shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment while taking a deep breath and then, “How?! Is that what Peter was over here about yesterday? And what does Derek being sick have to do with anything?”

“Peter was here because Derek is sick. And he isn’t getting better at all.” John lowered his gaze to the table and felt stomach clench in fear and pain. “This isn’t something that his healing abilities can fix either.”

“Why the hell not?” Stiles demanded angrily.

“Because his mate rejected him.” This time John looked up and stared Stiles directly in the eyes as he spoke. “Because his mate rejected him his wolf is giving up and so Derek is sick.”

Stiles looked so utterly lost and confused now that John wanted to go over and hug him close. But right now he had to get through all of this. Hopefully without someone breaking into tears.

“Derek is sick and you’re saying it’s my fault?” Stiles sounded angry, confused, and hurt as well.

“You didn’t know Stiles.”

“But I don’t- how?” He hated seeing that kind of pain and confusion in his son’s features.

John just pulled the journal from his jacket pocket and pushed it across the table to Stiles. “Read the pages that I marked. They’ll give you answers to any questions you might have.” John frowned and stood up, “I’m going to run to the store. We need a few things and it’ll give you time to think and read.”

Stiles just nodded and John walked over to press a kiss to the top of his head. “I love you Gemin.”

John had turned away so he didn’t see the startled surprise in his son’s face at the use of his given name.


	6. Why Are We Still Here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles does what he does best. Research and break down.

                Stiles spent the next thirty minutes reading all the marked pages in the journal his father had given him. What he read had his heart breaking, his stomach clenching, and his head pounding.

A bonding ceremony was preformed to bind a pair of mates at a young age so that one or both could always find the other. When they had come of age then the wolf would make it known that he was interested in his or her mate in that fashion. If the mate rejected the wolf the wolf gives up and ultimately they die. If one half of the bonded pair died because of the rejection then so too would the other half.

If Derek died, then Stiles died?

Stiles was up from his seat at the table and at his computer in his room in no time flat. His fingers danced across the keyboard as he started in on a what was sure to be several hours of research.

Stiles wouldn’t resurface from his research for at least four hours and by that time he’d made several phone calls, read every web page he could find, read and reread the journal at least three times- cover to cover, not just what his dad had marked; he now knew a lot of things about the Hale family and werewolves in general that he didn’t know before- and even scanned pages of his own books that he’d picked up over the last few years.

Turning his chair around he startled and almost fell out of it to see his father, Peter Hale, and Lydia all standing around his doorway.

“Holy crap, how long have you been standing there?!” He panted heavily.

“Almost an hour and a half now.” Peter answered with a dry tone.

“We got here about halfway through your rant at Deaton.” Lydia quipped as she moved to sit at the end of Stiles’ bed.

Stiles pulled up the call log on his phone and nodded, “Yeah, that was about an hour and a half ago.” He looked back to them all now, “Why were you waiting so long?”

“I figured it would be best not to interrupt your mental crisis.”

Stiles looked to his dad with a bit of a sheepish expression, “Thanks for that. There’s no tellin’ who I might snap at half the time…”

Lydia cocked her head and asked, “So what conclusion have you come to?”

Stiles looked at her determinedly, “That Derek’s an idiot.” His face became contorted in a mix of a few emotions. Anger, confusion, and fear being the dominant three.

“But you love him anyway?” She pushed lightly. Stiles just nodded and his face scrunched up in a rather unattractive manner as tears erupted from darkened hazel eyes.

All three were rather surprised to see such a reaction as this that it was hard to guess who moved first, but it was Lydia- being the closer one- that got there first as her arms came around Stiles and pulled him to sit with her on the bed as he cried hard into her shoulder and clung to her tightly. “Oh, Stiles…” It was all she could say as she tried to soothe his pain now.

After ten minutes of nonstop sobbing, sniffling, and hiccupping Stiles pulled back from Lydia climbed up his bed to his headboard to grab a tissue and flopped into the middle of his bed and blow his nose. Once that was done he looked to Peter and said, “In all the research I did, even in reading and rereading the journal the one question I have now wasn’t answered.”

“What question?” The eldest werewolf cocked his head to the side now.

“If I accept him now- even with Derek being sick and the wolf giving up- if I go to him and apologize and accept him would he heal and get better?”

Peter looked unsure as he thought it over, “I don’t know. But as a pack we certainly hope so. That is at least the theory we have been going on at any rate.”

Stiles stood up from his bed abruptly now and grabbed up his red hooded sweatshirt and look sternly at the trio in his room, “Then why are we still here?”


	7. Promise of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sick Derek.
> 
> ((The next couple of chapters are gonna be a bit short.))

                He was curled in the fetal position in the middle of his bed, blankets pulled up to his chin, hair a mess and plastered to his forehead. He was shivering so hard his teeth clacked together. He’d never been so cold before. Oh what he wouldn’t give for just one moment wrapped in the arms of his mate before he died.

One moment of warmth to ease the ache in his gut and bones. To warm the chill that set in due to the sickness taking over. The chills wracking his body to subside while his mate would hold him close- even for one moment. But with Stiles having rejected him as his mate that didn’t seem a possibility.

“Jesus Christ! You’re burning up!” That voice was like sweet music to hear again. “Lydia get me a few more blankets. Thick ones!” He felt the bed dip and arms were slithering around him to wrap tightly about his middle. “God Derek, I am so, so sorry.”

“S’iles?” Derek croaked- his throat dry from lack of liquid.

“I’m here Derek. I’m really here, I promise. I’m not going anywhere.” Derek felt the weight of more blankets being draped over their bodies and he found himself curling into the smaller frame of Stiles’ body for that warmth he’d been craving only moment ago.

“Prom-ise?” He stammered as he shivered in Stiles’ arms.

“I promise, Derek. I’m here to stay. Forever and always. I love you.” Those were the words that Derek heard as he finally drifted off- able to escape the pain for the first time in a few days.


	8. Broken Though Not Woken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hears them talking.
> 
> ((Next one should be a bit longer.))

              He felt himself start to rise from a heavy darkness. How long had he been out?

Sounds started coming to him in garbled patches. A car up on the highway. A sneeze downstairs. A few murmured words between a pair in the kitchen. Then closer, clearer, “How much longer do you think he’ll be out?” Was that Lydia?

“I dunno… His fever broke a few hours ago. It’s been two days…” Stiles? He hadn’t been dreaming! Stiles had come to him!

Derek wanted to sit up and pull Stiles to him and hold him tightly. Especially since the younger sounded as broken as Derek felt right now.

“Do you…”

“Do I think it worked? I don’t know. But if it didn’t then it won’t matter. I’ll be with him soon enough.” He could hear the strangled noise Lydia made in the back of her throat echoed by several people downstairs.

“I know. I don’t want to think about it either, but it’s fact. If he dies, so do I. But if I know Derek,” He then felt like he wanted to crow in utter delight as a warm hand gripped his own, “He’ll fight this. Then we can work our drama out and everything’ll be as it should.” He sounded so determined and Derek wanted to tell him he was right but the heaviness was pressing down on him again.

And as it did he felt his wolf struggle to fight against it. It needed to get to his mate. But the human and more rational part of Derek knew there was still healing to be done. The fever may be broken, but his body was still sick. So with a resigned whimper the wolf settled and Derek allowed the darkness to take hold of him again as he fought to at least squeeze Stiles’ fingers with his own.


	9. In the clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek is responsive and Stiles needs a shower.

                The pressure of Derek’s fingers twitching in his own had Stiles snapping his head up from where he’d been resting it moments ago to look at the still form of the werewolf he loved so much.

“Derek?”

“Stiles what is it?” Lydia had left to get him something to drink so it was now Allison in the room with him.

“He moved! His hand- he squeezed my hand!” His heart picked up in delighted speed and a soft smile caressed his lips.

“That’s good.” Allison said brightly from her seat on the floor at his knee. “That is good right?”

“Yes, that’s very good.” Peter’s voice came from the doorway as he entered the room. “If he’s responding to touch like Stiles holding his hand, then it means that the healing is starting. It means the wolf is responsive.”

Stiles let out an explosive breath and let his forehead fall back to the bedspread again, “Oh thank god.” He breathed heavily and didn’t even start when he felt the cold of a glass against the back of his neck where Lydia pressed it.

To help keep Derek warm the pack had agreed that they would crank the brand new heater up as much as it could go so needless to say Stiles was a bit sweaty.

Sitting up he took the glass gratefully and took a sip before setting it aside and looking at the sleeping form of his mate. “So we’ll be okay then?”

Peter Hale watched his nephew and his mate for a moment before speaking, “Health wise, yes. But after that, the rest is up to you Stiles. Derek loves you very much and clearly you love him. But you two need to work on some things obviously.”

Stiles nodded still not taking his eyes off Derek.

After a few minutes Erica cleared her throat- it seemed that everyone had crowded into the room at Stiles’ exclamation of Derek’s movement- “Hey Batman, why don’t you grab a shower, we’ll turn the heat down some, and then you can crawl into bed with Derek so he’s got you to wake up with?” She phrased it as a suggestion and question all at the same time giving Stiles room to reject the idea if he so chose.

Part of him wanted to but he’d been sitting there for two days straight and he did kind of want a shower. Nodding he leaned over Derek and kissed his forehead- this elicited a light sigh that several people; himself included; exhaling a breath they hadn’t known they’d been holding- and gently squeezed his mate’s fingers before pulling away and heading for the bathroom as suggested.

               He didn’t take long in the shower- he didn’t want to leave Derek alone for too long. What if he woke up early and Stiles wasn’t there? He might panic and think the worst! Stiles couldn’t have that!

Rinsing the shampoo from his hair he grabbed up the washcloth he’d pulled before getting in and used Derek’s shower gel to lather his body until it was squeaky clean. Rinsing all that off as well he shut off the water and stepped out to find a clean towel and a set of his sleep clothes on the toilet lid. Grinning a bit he quietly thanked Scott for running to his house and dressed himself in the black sweats and white sleeveless that he knew had been in his bottom dresser drawer ten minutes ago.

Hanging the towel to dry he ran his fingers through his hair then padded on bare feet to Derek’s room where it seemed everyone was still congregated. Crawling into the bed- ignoring the crowd of his friends as they watched him- he snuggled into Derek’s side and closed his eyes, smiling slightly as he felt the bigger male twitch as if in the need to curl around him.

Yes, Derek would be perfectly fine soon enough. And they’d both get some decent sleep for once as well. It couldn’t get much better than that right now.


	10. You're an Idiot!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek is awake. Stiles cries. They kiss. The end?

                He woke up to fingers running through his hair and nails dragging lightly at his scalp. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep but he was quite certain that he felt so much better for it. Sitting in Derek’s chair- however comfortable it may be- for two straight days was not helpful when it came to rest.

Stiles’ eyes snapped open at the sound of Derek whispering his name and running fingers through his hair again. Shooting up he tackled the werewolf to his back and hugged him tightly, “You’re such an idiot!” He breathed into Derek’s neck as the elder male wrapped arms tightly around him.

“So I’ve been informed.” Derek chuckled in a rather dry tone.

Stiles pulled back slightly to look the other in the eyes and frowned, “You should have tried harder. You shouldn’t have let the wolf give up. You know better. You should have fought harder for me!”

Derek had an armful of trembling, sniffling, sobbing Stiles now. Sitting upright Derek held Stiles closer and tighter, holding him to his chest and practically curling over him protectively. “Stiles I wanted to. I promise you, I wanted to so badly. But unlike when the wolf wants to claim, take over, and maim, I can’t control it when he gives up. The connection between human and wolf is different from instinct and life.” Derek sounded as if he wanted to cry as well but he seemed to be holding it together for the younger.

“When your life force is your wolf, it’s hard to do anything but get sick when it gives up.” He shifted to lift Stiles chin to make the younger look him in the eyes, “I wanted nothing more than to fight for you. To make you see that I do want you. I want to be with you and I do love you, Stiles. But when you started to yell at me about how you didn’t want to be mated to me and how you couldn’t believe I would try something like that all my wolf heard was you didn’t want me so in that second he rolled over and gave up.”

Stiles watched as Derek’s eyes went dark for a moment, “As soon as you stormed off I could feel my body start to get sick. I barely made it home before I was puking up everything in my stomach. The Pack were scared. None of them knew what to do. It took a full two days before Scott found my family journal.”

Hazel eyes went wide for a moment, “Scott was doing research?”

Derek laughed at that and nodded, “Yeah, he was scared so he started channeling you.” They both laughed lightly again and Derek grinned, “According to Isaac he was even running his hands through his hair the way you do.”

Stiles could actually visualize it and he snickered lightly before sobering up and looking Derek in the eyes, “Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“You will _never_ let something like this happen again.”

Derek cupped Stiles’ cheek gently in his palm, “I vow to you, Gemin Stilinski, I will do everything in my power to keep something like this from happening ever again.”

Even with the use of his given name Stiles was quite satisfied with that answer and happily leaned up to press a timid kiss to Derek’s lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may become part of a set. I haven't decided just yet.  
> If it does I'll add more to pairings like the one mentioned in that one chapter's summary.  
> Y'all know which one. ^_~
> 
> And a heads up, for those that want it badly, there will be an M rated scene. It'll be a piece all it's own. I'll be working on that one here in a few minutes.  
> Hope to have it posted for y'all soon-ish.
> 
> Let me know what y'all thought. Reviews are much luffed. They fuel the writing.  
> So does coffee, tea, and cookies. Just sayin' y'all...
> 
> Love and Good Reading,  
> NeoCortex.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this to my blog on Tumblr and at that time it was yet to be named so each installment of it has been named "Installment # X..."  
> Even here and now I am still not quite satisfied with the name. I may rename it later, but for now I give you 'Rejection of the Heart'


End file.
